Fear and grief have taken over Rijau, the headquarters of Rijau Local Government Area in Niger State, after a broad-daylight bandit attack on Monday left six farmers dead, dozens injured, and over 1,000 cattle rustled.
The attackers, believed to be part of the suspected Lakurawa group, stormed the town around 1 pm and operated until 3:30 pm, according to multiple eyewitnesses.
By the time they left, 20 people, including women, had been abducted, hundreds of livestock were gone, and countless residents were displaced.
“When we first heard the gunshots, some people thought it was the police. But the shooting continued sporadically. They came around 1 pm and didn’t leave Rijau until about 3.30 pm,” a resident told Daily Trust.
Eyewitnesses said there was no military presence during the invasion, and police officers stationed at the local division did not intervene.
Soldiers reportedly arrived several hours after the bandits had already fled.
The violence has taken a heavy toll on the region’s agricultural livelihoods. In a chilling account, Abdulhakeen, one of the abductees who escaped, revealed that the kidnapped individuals were forced to control the rustled cattle.
After trekking several kilometres with the animals in Ragada village, Mariga LGA, he escaped.
Despite the scale of the attacks, many affected communities in Mariga and Rijau have yet to receive military protection. Residents have called on the government for security and humanitarian assistance.
“Those who fled their homes in Mariga LGA have begun returning, but they still cannot sleep with both eyes closed,” said Ayuba Ibrahim, a local.
The attack on Rijau followed a series of similar raids earlier in the day across communities in neighbouring Mariga Local Government Area, which has endured three weeks of relentless attacks.
Locals described the bandits as well-armed and fearless, stating that villages such as Ragada, Kumbashi, and Gulbin-Tsayi have been repeatedly targeted, leaving residents traumatised and homeless.
“Our village, Yinana, was attacked, and we fled to Rijau, only for Rijau to be attacked on Monday. Thank God we escaped again,” said Dan-Isah, a displaced person now seeking refuge in Rijau.
“Our major challenge now is food. We are hungry, and our children are crying. We have not received any humanitarian assistance from anywhere,” he added.
Source: Daily Trust
